Artists crossing boundaries is not uncommon. Art is one medium that unites and brings people together. The unifying trend was recently attested when well-known Qatari artist Yousef Ahmed attracted significant numbers of art lovers and  collectors to view some of his original paintings at Art Dubai 2008 in the city's Madinat Arena in Madinat Jumeirah held between March 19 and 22. Ahmed displayed six abstract paintings based on Arabic calligraphy under the theme Al Tasbeeh (Glorification - two paintings), Harakat Al Harf (Letter Movement - three paintings) and Harf Al Seen (The S Letter - one painting).

The exhibition was under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

"Art Dubai has become a very prominent event and is considered one of the most important cultural gatherings in the region," Ahmed commented afterwards. "It attracts the participation of top artists from the region and the world at large.
I am glad to be among those who represent Arabic art.

"The paintings I displayed revolve around the deep visual message of the Arabic letter, deriving from it the high artistic power which forms a different image from the normal visual image that we are used to in Arabic letters."

Ahmed has displayed at many other events and exhibitions in the Arab world and internationally, most recently in Doha in March last year at an event to honour him as an outstanding artist on the 30th anniversary of his first exhibition. He has also received a number of awards including the top award for GCC artists (four times) and the top award in a leading Asian exhibition.

His work has been auctioned by the world-renowned Christie's International Auction Gallery in Dubai, where his paintings fetched more than double their original prices, giving his reputation as an artist a boost on the international level. His work was chosen by the Committee of Organised Art Auctions because of his outstanding artistic ability and his rich experience, being recognized as one of the best abstract artists in his field.

Some prestigious awards that Ahmed has received include the Golden Palm Leaf Award Kuwait Third GCC States' Plastic Artists Exhibition, First Award, International Plastic Art Festival Baghdad, Jury Award Ankara International Asian & European Biannual Exhibitions, M.F.A., Painting Mills College, Oakland, CA, The Grand Prize of Seventh International Asian Biannual Dhaka, First Prize Competition Qatar National Bank, among many others.

Some selected exhibitions that Ahmed has participated include the 1974 Federation of Arab Plastic Artists Exhibitions, Baghdad;  the 1977 First Arab/African Gathering, Hamm mat City, Tunis;  the 1988  First Arab Cultural Week Exhibitions, London; the 1990  First GCC State's Friends of the Plastic Arts Exhibitions, Doha and the  1999 Seventh International Biannual, Dhaka, to name a few.